RSF Sports Complex August Update

Rochester Sports and Recreation Monthly Update – August 2024

The Oak View Group (OVG) is beginning to meet with local groups to collect relevant data for the sports complex. Anna Rosburg, District General Manager for OVG, and her team will be in Rochester August 19th and 20th to conduct the first series of meetings.

In addition, the Sports Academy Inc. that is contracted by OVG, will begin additional data gathering through phone calls and emails to local sports group leadership.

This data is critical in the calculations of the final recommendations to the City. While the planned complex had a plan and vision, more details will now be determined.

The time lines for the completion of this study and other steps of the development are being finalized between OVG and the City at this time. We will share this information on our web postings when it becomes available.

The Rochester Sports Foundation leadership has recently met with Ben Boldt, project lead for the City, to ask some questions regarding the development of the facility. Here are those questions (in bold type) and answers:

Location of complex:

Can you update us on the timing and schedule: Kicking off the work with Sports Academy & OVG week of July 15th. Contract is signed. Two/three months of work will be done on the market study, budget and pro-forma. Programming will lead into the site priorities and development.

Financial gaps (if they are determined)? City is looking at that – there is some Federal/ sustainability funds and other money possibly available.

What are the specific roadblocks to the IBM property and can they be overcome? Yes, Ben thinks they be overcome but can’t say much more than that.

Where are they at in the land selection process? Going back to CC first meeting in August. UPDATE: This was done and the Council approved purchase agreements on all three of the final locations being considered. This gives the City the ability to negotiate on the three parcels to examine them more closely.

What input does Oak View Group have on this? Not much to date since they are just coming on board but may have more as we proceed. Currently preparing an RFQ/RFP for potential architects/design services and project manager – goal is Sept.

Are community members allowed to review of the site selection process: criteria and deadlines? Criteria has always been out there – deadlines? Working through it. Once they get direction from CC they will go back to parcel owners with possible purchase agreements.

Is access to other community amenities such as hotels and restaurants considered in the site selection process? Yes, it is part of the site criteria. Each location has a varied level of amenities now which gives varied opportunities to spur future growth.

How much of the budget from the project will be for the building/facilities and how much will be for the outdoor sports venues? Has there been discussion on making the site bigger to accommodate other development (hotels, restaurants, housing, etc.)? Big part of this answer is what is the size of the parcel. There are only so many options for 100-acre parcels that work. So a “bigger site”, while maybe desired – may not be an option. Proper utilities will also be addressed.

If there are baseball clovers added has the idea of moving slow pitch softball from McQuillan to RSRC and selling the McQuillan property to centralized the population, add additional dollars to the project, save the city Park Dept management and maintenance costs while putting the property back on the tax base - ever been considered? Yes, based on Ben’s day to day work the City has more demand across the system than they can meet. McQuillan does more than softball so they feel they need to maintain what they have while adding the new facilities. Plus McQuillan is one of the few facilities in the city that has lights. So, while the concept may make sense – perhaps other locations may be better to consider this type of action with. While Ben does not believe there is much appetite to sell of park land – if so, one that is less developed might be better.

Planning (Sports Academy):

I think my biggest question is as we look at site etc. how big of a role baseball turf options are being considered/pushed. It is a huge opportunity for us from April-Oct. Also if those can be retrofitted for softball. How serious are we looking at baseball (clover) fields versus rectangular (soccer/Lax) fields? Will there be baseball fields? Ben thinks we are serious about accommodating baseball/diamond fields. On the site tours we saw fields being built that can do both. That is where he is leaning now (adjustable field lines, fences, bases, etc.). Ben feels the more flexible we can be the more we can accommodate more tournaments and local users.

Where are they at in the design process? Do they have a design for the $65M, or are they looking to design a larger facility and where will the additional funding come from? They only have now what has been given to them in the 2023 process - three options that were at different price points ($65M-$100M). The market study that will soon be done will inform the decisions that will determine the design and thus the cost and possible need for additional funds.

What steps are being taken to talk to all the sports group in town and decide who should be included in the new facility? That is exactly what they are asking of Sports Academy and the feedback they receive from the local sports community groups. UPDATE: Sports Academy has begun this process in late July and it is still ongoing.

Once it is built and operational, what is the projected operating budget? What are the projected rental rates? They don’t know that yet – grass rental maybe cheaper then turf but will the market rent these?

How much of the operating budget will the city seek to get from rental revenues? Best case scenario - the plan is to have all the facility revenues (rentals, naming rights, advertising, concessions, etc.) cover 100% of all operating expenses and capital improvements.

Community Involvement:

 

How will you work with the community (business and public) to ensure the project has the right amenities, that they’ve been prioritized, and will be successful? Yes, that is the whole charge of OVG and Sports Academy – it is the first deliverable to determine this. They will work “side by side” with Rochester Sports, Rochester Sports Foundation and other groups to help create the discussions with the local groups to determine this.

Has the internal city team discussed the role of RSF throughout this planning and if so – where exactly do you see us fitting in? Yes, Ben sees us fitting in a lot with the process as it moves forward. We can help with the connections of our community and assure that OVG/Sports Academy touches all the right groups/people. Also, connected BoD can assist with naming rights/ sponsorship moving forward.

What is the role of RSF in the next six months? The local market study and design (and fundraising)

Generally, how is everyone feeling about the progress at this stage of the game? Everybody really wants to know where we are going to build it! But added – they are trying to be thorough and detailed on how they are evaluating it so it may take some additional time to make the correct decision. They want to get the right location but also want to be able to explain why to those who wanted it elsewhere.

Will there be anything unique about the facility (such as a Rochester Sports Hall of Fame)? Yes – there is interest in having the facility offer more than simply courts and turf.

Sales/marketing OVG:

When does OVG plan on reaching out to Rochester Sports and Monika from Experience Rochester?Once they have a fully executed contract they will have that conversation. They will probably occur in the next few weeks.

Is OVG planning on doing a profit analysis by reaching the regional tournaments and doing a comp set analysis? (what are the other facilities charging). Yes

In the past, has OVG used local CVB style organizations (ER and RS) already in place to sell sports facilities like the RSRC? Yes, both will work at selling the facility. OVG has their national connections, Sports Academy has their regional connections and RS/ER have their connections so it should be a team effort. Hopefully everyone can work towards success together. They will have some of their own sales team but the current signed contract is to have their services up to the opening of the facility. So, if they will be involved in future selling of the facility – it will have to come as part of a new/future contract once the facility is open. There is language in the current contract that gives them the inside track to this but it is not guaranteed.

Is the planned 128K square foot indoor complex a secured aspect of the facility or could this be modified as the plan unfolds? The goal is to keep it as planned but the original study had land costs understated – so everything that was proposed may not be a reality unless costs come in favorably or additional funding is secured.